Cabinet approval has been granted to develop the West
Container Terminal (WTC) at Colombo Port as a public-private-partnership in
collaboration with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and parties nominated
by the governments of India and Japan. A Cabinet appointed negotiation
committee and a project committee have also been established.
In February, Sri Lanka scrapped a deal to develop the East
Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo Port, with 49% investment by India’s
Adani Group and other stakeholders, deciding that ECT would be operated 100% by
the SLPA. But now Adani is back in the frame.
“Accordingly, the Build, Operate and Transfer Plan approved
by the Negotiating Committee have been forwarded to the High Commission of
India and the Embassy of Japan requesting them to nominate investors,” said the
Sri Lanka Government.
It added: “The proposal presented by Adani Port and Special
Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ Consortium) has been approved by the Indian High
Commission. No investor has been named by the Japanese government.”
APSEZ will work with its local representative John Keels Holding
PLC and SLPA to develop the WCT project on a build, operate, and transfer basis
for a period of 35 years.